HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2014-02-12, Page 44 Huron Expositor • Wednesday, February 12, 2014
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CanacE
editorial
How to gut a nation of
voters, Conservative style
While Canada is embroiled in Sochi, the Conservatives have
lowered the bar once more this week, with the Fair Elections
Act. Though it is brought forward under noble auspices, it will
bring in unnecessary election laws that will alienate marginal-
ized people and crack down on a fraud that doesn't really exist.
The fraudulent behavior surrounding our last General Elec-
tion was all perpetrated by people with party ties or party infor-
mation - it was not at the ballot box and Elections Canada has
been having a very hard time with its investigation into the mat-
ter. In another nose thumbing of epic proportions, Elections
Canada was not even consulted in drafting the new fair elec-
tions legislation. How is that even possible?
What's happening is the Conservatives are stacking the deck
with party -friendly policy at the expense of mainly young voters,
cracking down on identification at voting booths and doing
away with vouching for people.
If you've ever forgotten your ID on Election Day with only a
few minutes left, you can understand how this is seriously
flawed. Technicalities should not be used to keep people from
having their say. It's an abuse of privilege.
Elections Canada would also have to stop encouraging young
people to vote by way of educational packages for students,
apparently because they failed to do their job of reversing
declining poll numbers. The logic is boggling - assuming poor
turnout isn't due to voter apathy, poor candidates or a feeling of
hopelessness but because a program designed to education
people on voting and democracy failed to stop a steady decline.
Elections Canada would only be able to offer young adults
technical information - where, when and how to vote, and how
to be a candidate.
That all-important question - why vote? - is not a factor on the
Democratic Reform ministry's website.
Minister of Democratic Reform, Pierre Poilievre, said the bill
would make it difficult for people with no fixed address or gov-
ernment ID to vote. Predictably, the Opposition is crying foul,
saying the proposed act will harm youth voters as well as abo-
riginals and low-income voters.
Statistically if not coincidentally, many of those voters prefer
the NDP.
Party politics aside, alienating vulnerable voters is wrong. It's
easy to say those folks should be better prepared or educate
themselves. But without living in their world or with that experi-
ence, I don't think the people making this legislation know or
care what they are doing to new or inexperienced voters.
And, as we've seen before, this bill will be hundreds of pages
thick, given no time for debate in the House and no time for
proper examination. Bad practice, bad policy.
Reducing the oversight and investigative abilities of Elections
Canada will only allow the erosion to continue.
The young guy down the street that needs you to vouch for
him at the polling station is not a criminal for having an old
address on his license.
The politician that uses his office to suppress, distract or dis-
qualify voters, however, is another story. - QMI Agency
Where's that Olympic spirit?
So the Olympics have begun,
and not without their share of
controversy.
Journalists are reporting terri-
ble conditions in incomplete
hotels, while broadcasters con-
tinue to tell a story of sparkling
new venues plagued by sub -par
attendance.
Not to mention human and
animals rights activists screaming
bloody murder.
A far cry from the last Olym-
pics, held in Vancouver, where
the most common overheard
complaint was the lack of snow
and balmy temperatures.
I was lucky enough to live in
Vancouver in 2010, and got to
experience the excitement of the
games firsthand.
Not only was I able to stroll
along downtown streets, wrapped
up in the Olympic spirit, but I had
also been selected to volunteer at
the games, driving athletes,
judges and officials from venue to
venue in a giant, white Buick
Enclave.
Dressed in my bright blue
jacket, I proudly represented my
country while making interna-
tional friends along the way.
We had welcomed the world to
our stage, and regardless of what
critics may have said at the time,
we didn't disappoint.
It was electric.
I'll never forget the energy in
the streets, the way you could feel
the roar rumble through the city
when Canada's hockey team
scored that golden goal.
Collecting many memories,
not to mention pins, along the
way, those two weeks of February
will most likely go down as the
best of my life.
When the games were over,
everyone felt a deep sense of loss.
It was almost like going on
Have an
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Column
Whitney South
Huron Expositor
vacation and meeting someone
wonderful, you know you'll only
be together for a short time, but
you have more fun and a deeper
connection then you could even
imagine. But in the end, you go
your separate ways and shed a
tear for your lost soulmate.
It was a great and inspiring
time.
And then there was Sochi.
Where are the parties in the
streets?
Where are the dancers and the
artists and the music?
Where is all the fun?
During a live webcast with the
Huffington Post, the reporting
journalist commented that few
reporters were even attending the
opening ceremonies. Whether it
was frustration or simply lack of
interest, he couldn't be sure. But
there he was, watching it on TV.
In Sochi, with two tickets sitting
unused on his desk
So one can't help but wonder,
is the lack of Olympic excitement
real? Or is it simply that we're
missing the big picture with less -
than -impressive news coverage
from so very far away?
I guess only time will tell.
Regardless, of what's going on
with the political scene, we need
to remember what the Olympics
are really about: bringing coun-
tries together in peace and har-
mony, and supporting our
athletes.
GO CANADA!
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